Because of Her
by PinkCamellia
Summary: What happens when what all we Pokeshippers fear, becomes true? What if May is in love with Ash? Not what you exactly what you think. . . Unless you've read it already xD Pokeshippy. Advanceshippy. R&R!


Hi everybody! It's been a while! I've been working on this for a long time, and I've finally managed to get it typed up and posted! I'm sorry to say that I'm not going to be on FF.N very much this year. I have so much homework all the time, and with my big, gigantic super crazy important exams at the end of the year, I'm going to be spending a lot of time studying.

**Disclaimer: **I _totally_ own Pokemon… Oh wait a minute… No I don't. Crap.

**Summary**: What happens when what all we Pokeshippers fear comes true? What if May is in love with Ash? Not what you exactly what you think...

* * *

**Because of Her**

* * *

"I DID NOT!"

"YOU DID TOO!"

"I DID NOT!"

"YOU DID TOO!"

"I DID NOT!"

"YOU DID TOO!"

"I DID NOT!"

I sat on a log in a small clearing somewhere in the middle of a forest near Fortree City watching the scene in front of me. Max is standing beside me, his mouth open, and eyes wide. He is clearly as intrigued as I am. Brock is busy preparing a stew for dinner, glancing up at the two of you every so often. He has an amused grin on his face and even from a distance; I can hear him muttering, "Just like old times... Just like old times... it's _so_ good to have that girl back..."

"JUST ADMIT IT, ASH! WE'RE LOST!" She shouted at you.

"WE ARE _NOT_ LOST!" You shot back.

"THEN WHERE ARE WE?"

"Somewhere in the forest near Fortree City..." You mutter very quietly.

"SEE! WE ARE LOST! IF _I_ HAD BEEN LEADING THE WAY, WE'D BE IN THE NEXT CITY BY NOW!"

Your faces are only inches apart, your brown eyes glare into her teal blue ones that are staring murderously back at you.

I glance down at my feet and sigh. I can feel a headache coming along and your constant screeching isn't helping. She has been traveling with us for less than a day, and this is already your third argument. If you two are best friends why are you always fighting? You were overjoyed to see her this morning. You even woke us up extra early and dragged us to the airport two hours before her flight was scheduled to come in! All of us were excited to see her. No one more so than you.

Brock was glad she had come back. How often had he told us it was too quiet around here? How often had he told us he missed his almost little sister?

Max was happy as well. Ever since Misty had come visit us way back in the Mirage Kingdom, he'd looked up to her, admired her. He'd been impressed by the way she put an end to Brock's constant flirting with women, and the way she handled her Gyrados. Hadn't he told me, "That girl's got style."

And I was excited to have another female companion. I hoped for a person to go shopping with, who could give me fashion advice.

And you, Ash. Words couldn't express the heart-stopping smile that appeared on your face, or the small twinkle in your eyes that materialized when you ran to greet her.

"WELL, MAYBE I'D HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONCENTRATE ON WHERE I WAS GOING IF _SOMEONE_ DIDN'T START SCREAMING EVERYTIME A _WEEDLE_ POPPED OUT OF NOWHERE, MAYBE I'D HAVE _KNOWN_ WHERE I WAS GOING!"

"I DOUBT IT! YOU'RE SO DENSE; I'LL BET YOUR SENSE OF DIRECTION IS SO BAD, YOU COULDN'T FIND YOURSELF IN A MIRROR!"

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"Oh, YEAH?"

"YEAH!"

At that point, Brock sighed and I got the feeling that if you guys weren't stopped at that point, you would go on fighting forever.

"OH, YEAH?"

"YEA-"

"Okay, you guys don't want to stand here and fight all night-" He began.

"YES, WE DO!" You yelled at the same time. Brock cracked another smile, and I guessed that he was taking another trip down memory lane. After a moment, our older trainer spoke again.

"Come on you guys, it's getting late and dinner's almost ready."

"Humph!" You both pouted in unison. "Fine!" You both storm off in opposite directions. Misty heads to the left side of our campsite, and you storm towards the right.

Towards me.

And for one second, I could have sworn that you were coming to talk to me, so I put on my best smile, and wait. But you don't stop. You walk right past me, as if I'm not there, to where your belongings are sitting on a rock. I see you open your backpack, only you don't see me watching.

You rummage through your things, and after thirty seconds, you look over at Misty, who is doing the exact same thing you are. And you... smile. A genuine smile... a joyful smile. That look of happiness on your face makes my heart race. But at the same time, I feel myself fill with jealousy. Why is that the first time I've seen your face... glow... shine like that?

Is it... because of... Misty?

My thoughts were interrupted at the sound of Brock's voice.

"Dinner's ready!"

* * *

So here we are, a day later. We finally got out of that forest, and we're on our way to the next city. Again, I'm watching you. And again, you don't notice. Maybe you don't want to notice. Maybe you don't notice because you're watching _her_.

She's walking a little ahead of us, Max is right beside her and Brock is somewhere in front of them. Your beautiful eyes are serious. How could they not be? They're fixed on _her_. Your eyebrows are scrunched into a single line. One of your hands is rubbing your chin, while your other arm folded across your chest. Your expression is so foreign to me, I want to laugh.

But I don't.

The way you watch her, they way you _look_ at her is different from the way you see everyone else. It's like you're memorizing every inch, every single detail of her. You're... studying her?

I've never seen anything like it. The way you two fight and call each other names, it... it's almost like you hate each other! But you don't. That's what puzzles me most. Brock told Max and me that it's always been like this, but if you are constantly arguing, why are you traveling together?

Again?

At that exact moment, Misty looks back at you, and sees you leering. She pauses, which causes Max to stop walking as well. When we catch up to them she asks,

"Ash, why were you staring at me?"

"I wasn't staring."

"Yes, you were."

"No, I wasn't."

"Yes, you were."

"No, I wasn't."

"Then why were you looking at me?"

"I wasn't looking at you."

"Yes, you were."

"No, I wasn't."

"Yes, you were."

"No, I wasn't."

"Then why were you looking in my direction?"

"No reason."

"Aha! So you were looking at me!"

"I wasn't looking at _you_. I was looking at the area _around_ you."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly the way it sounds!"

I groan as my head begins to throb. I can tell it's going to be a long day.

* * *

Winona's Skarmory's attack hits your Corphish directly and sends your water pokemon flying. I hear you let out a growl that could rival any dragon's screech. Your pokemon is injured, but your opponent is still standing strong.

You are losing to the Fortree City gym leader.

The rest of us sit on the sidelines, watching in silent shock. I've long stopped cheering for you. Max has stopped yelling comments aloud. Even Brock has ceased to offer you anymore advice. We've all given up hope on you winning.

At least, _almost_ all of us.

Misty is sitting on the end of our bench, staring at you, the way you were looking at her only a few days ago, only her mouth hangs open with disbelief, her expression more negative. She hasn't said a single word since we've arrived, her eyes seem to be sending you a message, I want to know what it is, but I force myself not to pry into your personal business.

I turn my attention back to your match. You battle for a few more moments, and then I see your cap fall over your eyes. I see you pull out a pokeball and enlarge it as you extend your arm, you open your mouth to say something, but just as you do, Misty leaps to her feet so fast.

It's almost automatic.

"Ash, what exactly do you think you're doing?" She yells at you so loudly, her voice echoes through the gym. Everyone turns and stares at her like she's insane. If I had been in Misty's position, my face would have gone beet red and I would have immediately sat back down and shut up, but Misty doesn't seem to care, she keeps on shouting.

"You're not about to _quit_ are you?"

"Misty," You say in a voice barely loud enough for everyone to hear. "It's pointless... Corphish is hurt... and Skarmory is way too strong..."

"So?" Her voice is filled with such a strong conviction, I'm taken aback. I mean, who knew she had such confidence in you?

"You've been in situations a hundred times worse than this one, and you have always _always_ come out on top! Why are you quitting _now_?"

"It's just... I just can't win!"

"Well, if you can't do it for yourself, then do it for me."

"But I can't...I just can't..."

"I don't _ever_ want to hear you say 'I can't' ever again Ash Ketchum! Do you hear me? If you can't do it for yourself, and you can't do it for me, then do it for your own personal safety!" I hear you mutter a 'huh?' But Misty keeps yelling, her voice is louder than ever.

"If you _don't_ finish this match, then I will _personally_ hit you repeatedly in the head with my mallet _so_ hard, it will blow your tiny-sized brains out!"

For one single moment, I see your eyes burn with anger. I feel angry, too. How can she say such things to you at a time like this? Much less in front of so many people!

I got the feeling that you were going to yell something back at her, but the moment passes and you put your pokeball back onto your belt and continue battling.

And then, the most amazing thing happens.

You win.

When the referee announces it, I can hardly believe it. Winona can hardly believe it. Max can hardly believe it. Even _you_ don't seem to believe it.

But, Misty believes it.

Because she always believes in you.

No matter what.

* * *

I sat across the room from Misty, mindlessly flipping through a magazine in the lobby of Fortree City's Pokemon Center. I lower my magazine just a little as I hear you approach her. Once again, you don't see me watching. Neither does she. From where I sit, I can hear everything you guys are saying to each other.

"Misty?" She looks up from her magazine.

"Yes?"

"I just wanted to say 'thank you' for not letting me give up today."

"It was no problem, Ash. It's my sworn duty as your best friend to make sure you never give up on anything and to _try_ to not let you do anything stupid – and we all know how hard _that _can be. Besides, you'd be lost without me." I expect you to make some kind of snide remark, but you don't. Instead, you smile and I feel my heart race.

Again.

"You know what? You're absolutely right, Mist." She smiles back at you before turning back to her copy of _Pokemon Weekly_.

And I feel my heart fill with jealousy. Misty gets a special nickname. I don't. Her screaming at you helps you get through more than my cheers combined with Brock's and Max's.

I watch the way you two look at each other. And that's when it hits me. It's as plain as day and night. Everyone can see it but the two of you.

You love her. And she loves you, too. It's in the way you look and smile at each other. They way you interact... the way you _argue_!

But the thing is... I love you, too. For a while now. But, it doesn't matter. You will never look at me the way you look at Misty. You will never care about me the way you care about her.

I am just your friend.

Nothing more.

And as much as I've tried to hate Misty for not even letting me have a chance with you, I can't. She's been so nice to me, so nice to everyone. She has awesome pokemon... she's just a great person. And no matter how much it hurts me to see you with her, I can never ever tell you my feelings.

Because what you have with Misty is far too special for me to interfere with. Because she fights with you the way no one else dares to. Because she challenges you and always pushes you to be your best. Because she knows you can win when the situation is hopeless. Because she has faith in you when no one else does. Because she believes in you when you don't believe in yourself.

And most importantly, she easily does the one thing that I can never ever do, no matter how hard I try.

She does what no one else can.

She makes you happy.

* * *

Well, what did you think? I know I had a few things that were a little off, like Ash was a little out of character, and I know that I got a little repetitve, but that was kind of the point of the story. I hope that I didn't get too repetitive with the arguing too.

Other than that, I think it was my best work.

Please review!


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